i have never heard a word passing by fellow hobbyists in a walk-up building (not that i expect it).. but just curious if anyone has actually started a conversation before with one in the hallway?  not even sure how id react, i even try to avoid eye contact.

i figure the only time i would say something is if i had a bad experience and had to warn someone walking into a trap.

It is quite odd, but common, that nobody says a word. Not even a hello or a nod.

Some guys won't even look up and continue to stare at the floor until they get to a 141 door.

I do, you may have seen me wandering around 141 buildings. I strike up chats with people asking for recommendations.

People practice their English on me, often the local people try and shut down the conversation as quickly as possible and leave. But sometimes I meet people like myself and truth be told we know why we are in that building and chat a bit.

Even had a beer with some random guy who pumped me for info about working in the UK.

Sa14, common etiquette is to ignore and walk on, but many time when you're in a corridor waiting outside a door, conversation is inevitable. I remember during one wait for abby in sun kai, i was standing waiting for her having made an appointment. Time was well past my allotted slot (20mins over) and she was still screaming from her existing punt in her typically slutty way, ierreally loud. A punted looked at me as he walked by, heard her screaming and asked me about her. Told him my thoughts and how this was one of many repeats and that i was used to waiting in such manner. We ended comparing notes on skm an other buildings. Have also struck dialogue with many pref punters in other buildings with often good advice trading hands.

@Kennichi.... I too say "hello" or "hi" with a nod. Like others have stated we are all there for the same reason. No use hiding it.  I punting near Agry st last month and got trap in a corridor with a local as two civvies were waiting on the lift.  He would only look at the ground, never up.
To each his own... If you say hi or nod, I'll do the same.
Have fun and be safe.

Cool never knew people spoke to one another ... I guess as a foreigner I'm sometimes scared that people will react badly as in getting very defensive.  Even when I see people waiting outside another girl I am waiting for I won't stick around ... it just feels awkward?

A foreigner eh...

Have you not learnt how to tell overseas born Chinese apart from locals? Granted I'm not 'pure' Chinese. But it is easy to tell overseas born types the diet makes them look different and we apparently posture ourselves differently, people can spot me in a massive crowd.

I was in a building before with lots of WG's in.

I started at the top & worked my way down, a really really old Chinese guy was doing the same. He kept smiling & nodding at me & laughing I really did not know what to do...

wandering the halls looking at the floor seems odd     .....just ad muttering to yourself and rocking back and forth and its one step away from being an asylum atmoshere.

First time I went to Coronet the WG I wanted was not available.  Most doors were unavailable actually as it was early in the day.  Another punter was wandering around at the same time.  I walk outside on the street and a block down the road dude comes up and says hi!  In broken English out loud in front of everyone on the street he says " do you like prostitutes"?... and I'm like well this is weird but what the hell... "yes, I like prostitutes"... in front of like 10 people.  He tells me they are usually light until around 2PM.  I give my thanks for the tip, head back over and find a great punt waiting for me.  Run into him again on the street afterward and he's surprised I got the deed done so fast!

if any of you folks should have a walk-up building encounter with me and try to speak with me I look away and not even make eye contact. I like to compare notes but that's why I am here. I don't want to compare notes in some filthy hallway or stairwell with lots of mongers wandering around as explained above, muttering to themselves like in an asylum. And please do not come up to me on the street and ask me how it was or who or what I like.

I have lurked outside doors waiting for the punter in front of me to finish so I could move in ( there was a time about 9  years ago many many of us, about 6, queued up for the famous Cookie, and she was kind enough to put stools in the hall for us to sit) but I never speak with anyone and never will.

I have even seen fellow gwailos in KP and 37D and I assume that they are on this board as they are familiar with these places. Again, don't talk to me and I will talk to you.

Mind your own business.

Keep on mongering

My god this is just scary for a shy person like me very off putting. Need to be brave to try walkups. Maybe after more experience I will man up to it. It must be such a turn on walking around hearing sex noises from all the rooms. I suppose, low key and covered clothing will be the way to go for me. Anything flash will mean people will remember me.. like the guy with the yellow shoes. For me, just want to go unnoticed.

You should man up . Do not let the pessimism of my note put you off

Mongering in these old walk-up buildings is 100% safe. There is no crime to speak up and nothing to worry about. HK is a safe city and you will have no problems with 141s unless you try not to pay or rough up the WG

The only problems you will have apart from seeing your fellow mongers are perhaps (and my solutions):

1 a locked door gate: just wait for someone to exit and then dash in

2 a building security guard who knows what you're coming up for and hassles you: let him see your ID and take your name if he wants to, what you are doing is legal

3 non-WG neighbors who might look at you and scowl: I just smile at them

4 creaky and cramped old lifts in which you could be stuck for a while (have no solution for this, but it has not yet happened). Better to take the lift to the top floor and walk your way down - get a tour of all your options, and where you see a queue outside a door you know you have found a good one.

Get out there and try it. Mongering is good for the soul , unless you are the guilty type. If you do not have a SO, there is nothing to be guilty about.

Keep on mongering

[ Last edited by  gwailoplayer at 14-1-2012 16:33 ]

it's a strange situation. compounded by the narrow/cramped hallways where if u are waiting for a particular gal, u will be in an odd queue, standing for a long period of time, not-looking at another punter who wants to go...exactly where u want to go.

i find it off-putting. when i do walkups i try to make an appt--i SMS when i'm close by, and i'm on time. if i see a queue...it was nice of Cookie to put out stools, but SIX guys in a line? yr gonna wait in a hallways for hours? i'd need some really great movie on my iPhone...or better yet, go elsewhere.

the funniest encounter was last year, when i was walking the Fortress Hill/North Point area and there was some handsome fortyish guy strolling around, i passed him on the street and KNEW he was punting, i just knew. he was coming back from Miki's place and i was heading there. there were two guys in a queue and only two technicians, so i headed for the Southern Bldg.

sure enough, the guy turned up in the lobby. we actively not-looked/not-spoke to each other. maybe it was a 141 forum bro, maybe gwailoplayer, i have no idea.

i ended up with this pie-eyed Thai dame who seemed to have dipping into some serotonin-uptake-whatevers...it was very strange and i ended up leaving, should have left a red note (i was admonished and know better now), but a guy was right outside her door as i opened it to leave. i ushered him in.

back to Miki's, as soon as she saw me on the camera she opened the door and one guess who walked out. the punter whose path i kept crossing. we didn't exchange a word.

i got along very well with Miki, so i asked her if she thought that guy was handsome. she looked at me and laughed: "Jack, i gotta admit, u guys all look the same to me!" she was like that: honest, funny, sometime HILARIOUS.

i admit that i have turned to a guy about to dive for the door as i exit, saying "have fun," but that's about it. and that's on my way out. the monger floor-stare is a weird situation. Miki told me that one time, a couple of bros got into a yelling match over who got to enter the door next when she let the previous punter out. u can imagine if they arrived about the same time, stood there for 45 mins and found out they were SECOND in line, it'd be aggravating.

nature of the beast--best to go off-peak if possible, find some gal who's not doing a lot of business for some reason, or make an appt. if u repeat with a walk-up, show up on time, clean and smiling, with a gift of fruit or whatever, and treat them well, they'll make an appt for u and keep u updated on any changes via SMS.

in any case, treat the WGs well. they're in that room all day long, and imagine dealing with bros arguing over who's next in line...not fun.

JtB